Celebratory Reunion (Happy New Year)
by Cee Blue
Summary: It'd been a difficult six years, humanity growing as species while Alteans grew to learn more of, not only their heritage but those who made it possible. The people of Altea had grown accustomed to hosting the Paladins every deca-phoeb to celebrate the rebirth of Altea. Although.. this year would be somewhat different.


Lance let out a breath of.. not quite relief, but.. content. It'd been four years since making his way back to Earth, since the war had been won. He remembered the fateful day clearly. Six years later, and tears still welled in his eyes at the memory of Allura's leave.

Four years, and Lance still loved her so much. His heart stilled clenched almost painfully knowing that he'd never see her again.

The man had to take a slow breath, a hand to his heart as he did so. His marks must have begun to glow, something he didn't realize could happen until Veronica had pointed it out, because Keith's hand squeezed his. It was gentle squeeze, followed by a more insistent one, questioning, Lance knew.

Lance nodded, squeezing back as he came to. He just missed her. They all did, he knew. Lance just had a hard time coping with the thought. He turned to Keith, wearing a soft smile before leaning in. Keith met him halfway, his hand wrapping gently around Lance's bicep to ground himself.

A loud cough pulled them apart, Lance startled more than anything. Looking, he could see a little more color in Keith's cheeks. It elicited another smile from Lance. Along with a soft chuckle.

"Could you please not? Some people here are actually trying to eat and catch up." Pidge's voice sounded from across the table, never having lost her condescending tone, her voice hosting a more mature tone. From fifteen to twenty-one, Pidge had grown into herself. A wonderful woman with her life ahead of her.

She would always be a gremlin in Lance's eyes regardless.

So, in retaliation, Lance looked Pidge dead in the eye as he released Keith's hand, shifting over and seating himself in Keith's lap. As per usual, Keith wrapped his arms around Lance's middle, his head settled on Lance's shoulder. Instead of being petty, like he'd planned, Lance just melted into the touch with a breath of relief.

The woman sighed softly, but Lance was positive that he'd see a little smile on her face if he opened his eyes. "You two are so gross." She scoffed and Lance could imagine her rolling her eyes.

"You say that about any couple." Hunk sounded, bringing Lance out of it enough to look to the man. At first glance, he just looked like a big man, but Lance had a tendency closer, having lived as a Paladin for a few years. He could see that the bulges under his shirt were solid muscle, finding irony in how still stuck to the color yellow after the past years.

The previous green Paladin raised both eyebrows, taking her time with eating her greens. Slow and deliberate with her chewing. At least she was chewing with her mouth closed for once, the heathen.

"You say that about _Shiro_ and _Curtis_. C'mon, you can't tell me that you don't do it."

"Actually, I-"

"Some things never change," Shiro chuckled, adjusting his newer set of glasses. Nothing fancy, just different. Lance liked them. He wondered if Shiro was writing a book, though.

Lance smiled as he looked between the bunch, relaxing further into Keith still. Yeah, this was great. Bickering ensued at the table and Shiro looked somewhat exasperated, but everyone looked happy. Lance could still catch sight of Shiro's smirk and Coran ended up joining the chaos with a battle cry. It almost felt like they were back on the Castle. Another thought that made him ache.

"Hey!"

Lance jumped with a start (Keith had jumped under Lance, not that he'd admit it to anyone else), chuckling softly as he caught sight of a small crowd. They were.. family.

Kolivan and Krolia stood side-by-side, Krolia smiling softly toward Keith and Lance. Lance's whole family - niece, nephew, sisters, brothers (his mother couldn't make it, having passed a year previous) - stood alongside them, the two younger eagerly shifting their weight as young teens. Curtis was smiling in the direction of Shiro, hands resting in his jacket pockets. Matt, Colleen, and Sam stood side-by side with Matt in the middle. Despite him reaching the point of being the tallest. Shay stood alongside Hunk's mom, dad, uncle, niece, and nephew.

All the people they loved, waiting.

"You really thought we were going to let you six sit here alone on the new year? The celebration of Altea's rebirth?" Sam chuckled, starting first toward Katie, who stood from her seat with screwed glasses and some mashed potatoes on her top. Sam's starting over seemed to be everyone's cue to start toward the family they knew best.

Lance had to move quickly so his niece and nephew didn't overturn the chair, stumbling when the set of young teens tackled him. He laughed still, squatting down as he spoke. They were getting so big, it was almost scary. Lance could remember when they were stumbling after him in diapers and looking at them now.. they looked like they'd grow to be wonderful, beautiful people. Looking up, Lance smiled at the sight of Keith hugging Krolia and Kolivan standing next to Keith with a soft smile of approval. According to Nadia and Sylvio, Kolivan looked scary. To be fair, he kind of was. Although, the two just didn't know how to look close enough, yet.

Lance stood, laughing as his family surrounded him and wrapped him around in a suffocating bear hug almost as intense as one of Coran's. He did need a moment to catch his breath as he was set down, laughing still. Although Nadia and Sylvio had rushed off and tackled Keith to the ground, Krolia standing with eyes and Kolivan, slightly raised eyebrows. Keith though was laughing as he was mercilessly attacked by small hands on sensitive ribs, tears sprouting in the corners of his eyes.

Lance stood there, smiling softly at the sight before starting over. "Alright, alright you two." He chuckled, pulling Sylvio back and settling him standing, doing so for Nadia as well, although being a bit more careful with her dress. The Cuban man stood over Keith as he took a few deep breaths. "Still sharp, Samurai?" He smirked, holding out a hand.

Keith rolled his eyes a bit before grasping Lance's hand, letting out a few breathy chuckle as he was pulled up. He wrapped his arms around Lance with a small smile, pressing his lips to his. Surprised, Lance stood there a moment before leaning in, his arms wrapped around Keith's neck. What a man.

"Keeping it PG, huh Lance?" Lance broke apart, cheeks burning. Really did Veronica really- "There are kids here, y'know?" Suddenly, her nail was poking at Lance's back, the younger turning to her with a pout.

"You're so mean to me." He whined, clinging to Keith. "Keith's never so mean to me." He murmured through his pout. Lance found that he could feel Keith's chuckle rather than hear it. And he was astonished, gasping in offense. "And now you've turned Keith on me! I thought that you loved me." He gasped, pulling away from his boyfriend with his voice dipping dramatically, a hand against his head with the other over his heart. He peaked open an eye unable to keep the smirk away.

He only heard a scoff before calloused hands grasped his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss. Lance lost his balance, almost falling over. Keith caught him though, with a hand around him, resting them with Lance in a dip. He breathed in deep as Keith pulled him back out to stand, still swaying a bit.

Keith smiled as held up Lance, taking in his hand. "Babe, for once, I need you.." Keith spoke lowly against Lance's lips, "to be the quiet one." He smiled, looking to Lance. There was an odd light in Keith's eyes that made them look brighter than usual as they stood.

Their closeness set Lance's heart alight his mouth parted lightly. He swallowed, nodding. "O.. Okay." He breathed, nodding slightly still.

Keith smiled, pressing another kiss to Lance's lips before pulling back and keeping his fingers threaded through Lance's as he started over to stand with Lance's family. Krolia and Kolivan followed, resting strong silent hand on Keith's shoulders. They helped him to relax. Nadia and Sylvio hanging on each other as Marco and Luis took to Lance's side, Rachel and Veronica standing bedside Keith. Looking around, Lance could see everyone else coming around.

Coran even popped up, clapping a hand on Lance's back.

Veronica though, happened to raise an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you got him to quiet down. I can't remember the last time he was so calm." She teased, nudging Keith lightly, who chuckled. Lance, though, had cheeks that were burning.

"I know, right?" Pidge chimed in, smirking softly as she stood in front of Marco. She was making her way beside her brother figure regardless of the situation. "It's nice though. Nice to know that Lance can be quieted down."

Lance's cheeks burned brighter, all the way to the tips of his ears. Lance felt like it was burning that much anyway. Shiro made an appearance regardless.

"I get that we're having fun teasing Lance." Shiro smirked, Curtis smiling a bit with his arm wrapped around Shiro's waist. "But let's give him a break. We're celebrating, after all." He said, turning to the field. "It's officially the sixth anniversary of Altea's rebirth."

"And of Allura and Honerva's great gifts." Coran spoke up, smile small and soft, although tinged with a heartbreak only Lance could begin to understand. He settled a hand on Coran's shoulder, Coran returning the gesture.

Shiro nodded, turning to the field. "Let's celebrate this life. The lives we've helped to build." He suggested, turning to his husband. "We live in a beautiful time let's celebrate that."

Everyone cheered, raising their arms as they stood, fireworks shooting off high into the sky. Colors and shapes forming in the night sky. It was filled with 'ooh's and 'ah's alongside cheers and grins. A few tears even.

But it didn't end with the last firework.

Everyone had taken a step back and Lance was leaning against Keith, smiling despite the soft ache. Only soft, because he had Keith. He truly had a beautiful life. And he believed it.

Keith was the one to pull back a bit, taking Lance's hands as he turned his back to the field in which the fireworks had been shot off. Letting out a deep breath. Lance only remained somewhat confused as Keith squeezed his hands gently.

"Keith?" He breathed softly, questioning as he spoke.

Keith's eyes opened then, flicking to the side then back to Lance. He smiled. "Lance." A deep breath. "I love you. For the longest time, I've loved you with all my heart, even when you didn't love me back. I was still there for you when I could be. Through the chaos and the hurt. Through the laughter and tears. I.. through the heartbreak." He breathed, resting his head against Lance's.

Whatever Lance was going to say, his words fled at the contact. Keith's eyes..

"I.. I never want for there to be a moment in which you think that I don't care as much as I do, or in which we ever have to be apart. I love you. I'd never want for you to feel truly alone." Keith took his hands back from Lance's, managing a few steps back as he reached into his jacket pocket. Out of which he pulled a small black box. "Lance.. I've loved you as best I could these past four years. Treated you with nothing other than my love. And I never want to part from your side if i can help it. I want to live with you for as long as we can."

Lance only stared, eyes burning at the corners as he looked. Because.. no, he.. Keith couldn't.. Lance swallowed, looking to Keith with his heart pounding hard in his chest, almost drowning out the sound of his voice.

"Lance McClain.. the man who I've loved all these years.. I know that I'm not the perfect man, but I want to be yours and for you to be mine." He held out the box, smiling softly. "Lance McClain, will you make me the happiest man in the universe.. and marry me?"

Lance stared a moment. One.. two.. three moments pass before he can breathe. And he realizes that he's laughing, tears hot in his eyes. Streaming down his cheeks. "I.. yes." He breathes. "Yes. God, a thousand times, yes!" He laughed.

And, if possible, Keith's eyes grew brighter. The man lurching forward, arms wrapping around Lance as Keith kissed Lance. Lance was flushed and crying, but he was possibly the happiest man alive as he kissed back. There were cheers from his friends and family ringing in his ears as Keith pulled back, grasping Lance's hand. The two wearing matching rings. Lance hadn't even realized when Keith slipped his on.

All he knew was that he was in love, and everything was better.

After all, Lance was getting married to the man he loved most.

* * *

 **AN:** **I'm sorry that this is so short, but here. Have this garbage that almost looks like art. I wanted to share it. Also, just because Voltron's over, doesn't mean that I am. I may post works for other fandoms here. But I'll never leave Voltron.**


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